STOMA PROBLEMS

STOMA PROBLEMS.



In these rhymes I’ll try to think


of times where stomas cause a stink.


And also I will try to show


how we cope and what we know.



Because a stoma sheds our waste


It’s not to everybody’s taste.


So problem number one might be


reactions from society.



There is not much that we can do


to change a person’s point of view.


But often it’s their ignorance


that’s people’s point of reference.



So if we try to educate


people may reciprocate.


Within my own community


I grasp each opportunity.



There are so many ways to share


for those of us who want to care.


I like to tell a joke or two


to get a gory story through.



One of the worst of these must be


sometimes bags split and shit busts free.


Yet when we’re set this type of test


then you can bet we’ll do our best.



When once an incident has past


and you have cleaned yourself at last.


There is no need to run and hide


just help them see the funny side.



Most people feel so much more pleased


if their anxieties are eased.


So try to show you’re confident


with each and every incident.



This lets these people know that you


can handle any wayward poo.



B. Withers 2013

Wayward poo, comments, looks and whatever! We've come too far to be set off by such things.

Hello Mrs A. I so agree!

:) Hello Bill, good to see you~

Hello Mrs A. Good to hear from you. Once upon a long, long time ago I spent a few very pleasant days in your fair city and seeing your location brings back those memories. I don't go very far nowadays so these sorts of memories become more important and enjoyable. Best wishes Bill

Hi Bill, loved your rhyme. I'm Marsha, and I've been posting erratically over the last few years, but I'm back now. I've written to a few people and told my story, so if you're interested, I can send you some excerpts. I'm one of the oldies... I've had my ileostomy for more than 50+ years. I was 15 at the time, and managed the ancient supplies.... rubber reusable pouches, plastic reusable wafers, metal hinge to attach wafer to pouch, and worst of all, the paste. I had to put that stuff on both the skin and plastic wafer and wait until both dried (hoping not to spout). If not dry enough, it wouldn't stick and would cause skin burns. Lessons learned... patience endures. These days, I'm 66, divorced for 20+ years, dating, enjoying my retirement (sort of), and look forward to my yearly trip to Australia to visit my younger son and his family. Both of my grown sons have medical issues. One has Crohn's and the other has Ulcerative Colitis. Both are in their 40s and have been managing their conditions medically. When anticipating pregnancy, my husband (who had Crohn's) and I were told that the diseases were not inherited. They were wrong! But we're all grateful that medical treatment improved enough for them to have avoided surgery. Today, my son, his wife (who has MS), are both vegan, and Jay is off medication for the first time in 20+ years. They have 2 little boys and are concerned about their polluted gene pool, so they are following a healthy/plant-based diet that is advised for people with autoimmune diseases. Ange's MS symptoms have disappeared since the change in eating and lifestyle. So that's a little about me. Keep up the writing and rhyming. Best regards, Marsha

Hello Marsha. Thank you for your post. When you say you've told your story and would send excerpts it sounded as if you have written it in story-form - perhaps in a book format? If so I would of course enjoy reading it. However, I am not a full member on this site so it makes communication a little more difficult outside the blogs and forums. The other thing that occurs to me is that you might let your 'story' out a bit at a time by way of blogging and then we could all get to read it (in instalments). All my own 'Rhyming' blogs have been excerpts from books already published and I feel this is one way of giving back to a site that has been so consistently helpful to so many people. You sound as if you have some interesting and valuable things to share with the rest of us and I do enjoy reading your posts so I hope to be able to continue reading them on here for the foreseeable future. Best wishes Bill

Hi Bill, I'm new to this ileostomy thing so it's all a bit daunting. I have suffered with depression for 20 years and it's been worse since the operation because I can't take the medications that cause me constipation. I know the ileostomy is reversible but life for me is hell at the moment with my depression, especially with my brother dying of stage 4 cancer. This might sound like a stupid question, but will I be able to go back on the meds that caused me constipation but helped me so much when it's reversed? I feel so desperate and alone... Alex

Hello Alszek. Thank you for your post. Firstly, When it comes to commenting upon medication the medical 'profession' take a very dim view of anyone giving advice if they are not qualifies to do so. Secondly, after a bereavement of someone close it is natural to have some form of depression as this is part of the grieving process. Thirdly, I am not in favour of taking medication for psychological conditions for a host of reasons - not least of which are the so-called 'side-effects'(which are in fact the main effects and are well known to the drug companies) One effect of taking these types of drugs is that they tend to be psychologically (if not physically) 'addictive'. People become reliant on the drugs rather than sorting out the problem. Depression is such a difficult thing for individuals to manage without proper support and it is understandable that they turn to drugs in order to get a quick-fix. However, (despite what the medical profession and the drug companies would have you believe) it is usually a psychological phenomenon requiring psychological interventions and solutions. Depression is a huge subject and my brief and inadequate comments here are 'ONLY' MEANT TO HELP YOU BEGIN TO RETHINK YOUR APPROACH TO THE PROBLEMS YOU FACE. Now to answer your original question:- in my view the medical profession will be only to happy to get you back on the drugs as soon as possible as this is the way they make their money. The chances are they will have little interest in helping you manage your depression if they are not making money our of it. More than that, they have no real incentive to help you to get 'better' on a permanent basis as their money supply would then dry-up. I have never found or known of a drug that overcomes loneliness and or depression although there are plenty on the market that do a good 'masking' job.Depression appears to me to be an 'emotion'. all emotions are energy that needs to be 'controlled'. If this energy is left to do its own thing it can be quite dangerous both to the individual and(as a side-effect) to those surrounding that individual. If I were to suggest anything it would be to find someone locally who could help you work to 'manage' all your emotions (not just the depression).Sorry if this was not the sort of answer you were looking for but you take pot-luck on this sort of site!However, the great thing is that there are many others on here who have different (yet equally valid) opinions that I'm sure they would be willing to share. Best wishes Bill.